Automobile roller-jack.



A. C. HOPKINS.

AUTOMOBILE ROLLER JACK.

armcmon FILED SEPT- 14, m1.

LQBQA'M. Patented Oct. 1, 1918.

attoznm err-tans teammate amen.

.AETHUR 'C. HUPKINS, 0F SIOUX FALLS, SQ'UTH DAKOTA, ASSIGNOR T0 MID-WEST MANUFACTURING CDMPA'NY, 01E SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA, A CORPORATION.

AUTOMOBILE ROLLER-JACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. ll, 1918.

Application iilecl September 14, 1917. Serial No. 191,344.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. Hormns, a citizen of the United States, residingat Sioux Falls, in the county of Minnehaha and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Roller-Jacks, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates to an improvement in roller jacks particularly adapted for use in connection with automobiles, the principal object being to provide a control permitting rapid operation for elevating the axles, said control to be remote from the load to be lifted. Other features relate to simplicity of construction, whereby a limited quantity of material may be employed, to provide a lighter weight than ordinary, and a corresponding economy in manufacture.

With these objects in view, the invention presents a. novel construction, combination and arrangementof parts as described herein and claimed, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is a sectional view on line 1-1 of Fig. 2 to clearly show the horizontal frame or tongue and operating-bar. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the-device.' Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail showing an. adjust-able mounting for the hand-lever.

In the drawing, numerals l. and 5, respectively indicate the wheels and axle of a wheel-truck. At 6 is indicated a frame or tongue-member preferably of U-shape or loop-form, said tongue-me1nber preferably being provided with bosses a at its inner end fora mounting upon the axle midway between the wheels 4, its outer end being provided with a pair of opposed, angular brackets 7 secured at their inner ends upon the parallel members 79' of the tongue, the outer ends of the brackets being provided with casters 8.

Numerals 9 indicate a pair of upright projections or ears, these being disposed opposite to each other, each extending above a member 3) near the outer end of the tongue, and provided with apertures c at different distances from said tongue.

At 10 is indicated an operating lever dis posed between and having a pivotal connection 11 with members I) of the tongue, said lever having a convexed wall 00 at its terminal with a groove 02 formed longitudinally and a recess :0 opening on its upper side at the inner terminal of said groove, the inner end of said lever having a transversely disposed arm d provided with teeth 6, and operating as a rack. Numeral 12 indicates a sleeve, jacket, or housing which is loosely seated upon and which preferably circumscribes said arm d.

The jacket 12 is provided at its lower end with a recess or slot 18. At 1% is indicated a pawl which is mounted upon the jacket; and on account of its spring, the pawl will normally be pressed inwardly of said recess for engaging the teeth 6. The jacket or housing 12 is also provided with a swivel-cap 15 for engagement with the axle or load. At 16-is indicated a hand-lever provided at its free end with a cross bar or handle 17; and by means of a pin 18 engaging in the aperture 19 of said hand lever and also engaging in two, opposed apertures c of the ears 9 of members Z), said hand-lever may have swingin movements on its pivotal mounting.

The lower end of the hand-lever has a projection or spur 20 disposed, preferably, at an obtuse angle with reference thereto, said projection being provided with a roller 21 at its terminal for engaging in the groove m and recess :0" of lever 10.

Having described construction, operation will be readily understood. The device may be moved so that the arm cl will be disposed beneath an axle or other lopd, the lever 16 being disposed in an upright position as shown in Fig. 1, the jacket 12 being adjusted by means of the pawl 14 so that the cap will engage the axle or load. The operator then,

by swinging the lever 16 forwardly, will cause the outer end of the operating lever 10 to be depressed or to swing downwardly, the roller engaging in the groove a2, the inner end of the-lever 10 moving upwardly to lift the load.

A further forward swinging movement of the hand-lever will cause the roller 21 to engage in the recess a, which operates to maintain the axle or load in an elevated position, the spur being substantially at right angles to the bar 10. Adjustmentsmay be made for the pivotal mounting of the handlever. For instance, if the pin 18 is inserted in the uppermost pair of apertures c, it is obvious that the inner end of the lever 10 a 19 ordinary jack is inconvenient. In the use of will be disposed at its lowermost positlon, this being desirable for operat1on in some instances to permit the cap 15 to engage the lower side of objects to be lifted.

In the use of the device in connection with automobiles, it may be used for elevating the front or rear axle in a convenient manner. These vehicles usually are provided with parts which project either forwardly or rearwardly in such'a manner that the use of an the present device, it will be noted that a person may stand at a considerable distance,

comparatively, when elevating the load.

Other features of advantage in the presentconstruction relate to facility in operation since the'load may be more quickly elevated than ordinary; also the tongue and bar 10 occupy a very limited space and are normally disposed in a plane lower than'the axle '5 and near the ground or floor, so that theywill not be obtrusive.

- What I claim as my invention, and desire I to secureby Letters Patent is,.

1. In a roller jack, a truck a tongue of v of loop-form having parallel arms mounted at. their inner ends upon the axle of the jecting part of saidoperatinglever, means to adjust said housing longitudinally of said upright part, and a hand-lever mounted on the parallel arms of the tongue, for actuating said operating-lever.

2. An automobile roller jack, consisting of a two-wheeled truck, a tongue-member mounted on the truck and provided at its outer end with a hand-lever, an operating lever having a pivotal connection between its ends with the tongue-member and provided with an upwardly projecting arm, a jacket loosely mounted upon and arranged tobe adjusted longitudinally of said arm, said hand-lever being movable for depressating lever in a depressed position after said having a pivotal connection between its ends with the tongue-member,isaid operatinglever having a convexed part at itsouter end and being provided at its inner end with an upwardly-projecting arm, a jacket loosely mounted upon and arrangedvto. be-adjusted longitudinally of said arm, a handlever pivotally mounted'betweenits ends upon the tongue and provided adjacent to its pivotal being movable-.for'causing the roller to move upon the convexed part of the operatinglever to depress-the outer end of said operacting-lever, and means to maintain the outer end of the operating-lever in a depressed position after said hand-lever has been moved.

4;. In a "roller-jac'lna truck provided with a tongue, an operating-bar mounted between its ends upon said tongue and provided near its outer end with-a recess opening on its upper side and with a curved groove intermediate said re'cess and said outer end, said operating-bar being provided with anupwardly projecting arm, at its inner end, a

a swivel-cap on the jacket a hand-lever mounted between its ends upon the tongue and provided with a roller normally engagmounting with a roller, said. hand-lever jacket adjustable longitudinally of said arm,

ing in the groove of the operating'bar, said hand-lever being adaptedto have a swinging movement for depressing the outer end of the operating bar, its roller moving in said groove, saidhand-lever being adapted to have a movement for maintaining the outer end of said operating bar in a de,-- pressed position, its roller engaging in said recess.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR C. HOPKINS. Witnesses: v

C. E. IMES, HIRAVM A. STUReEs.

coplcl 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the (lommiuioner of ru 1 v Washington, D. c."

55 of a two-wheeled truck, a tongue-member mounted on the truck, an operating-lever 

